Family caregivers of dependent elderly: same needs, different contexts – a focus group analysis

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to identify the needs of the family caregiver of dependent elderly in a different cultural dimension, integrating the social, political and economic reality of each community. METHODOLOGY: This phenomenological study was carried out with two groups of caregivers of dependent family members from Portugal and Brazil, using focus group as a data collection instrument. RESULTS: From the analysis of the narratives of the 12 caregivers who participated in the study a set of categories emerge: the need to learn alone, the need for time to maintain the roles, the need for a support network, resilience in imbalances family, and the resources to care for them. CONCLUSION: In this work it was possible to highlight similarities in the needs of the caregivers of the two countries.